Good food, great spicy marg, fun place to go with friends. Service is always very friendly and the restaurant is very clean.

We had a wonderful dinner at Playa. We had made a reservation for the patio. When we checked in we were told we could be seated right away or we could wait a few minutes and we would have a few choices of where we wanted to sit. We waited about 3 minutes the result being that we ended up sitting in a lovely spot. I really appreciated having that level of communication and choice. Everything thing we had was delicious and beautifully prepared. Every employee we encountered was warm and welcoming. Make your reservation now! read more

The food is good. Our table got the watermelon salad, the watercress salad, the fish tacos, and the vegetarian tacos. All were yummy, hot or cold as appropriate, and full of interesting, uncommon ingredients. The portions, though, are very small for what you pay. Our bill was $50+ for four dishes and we all left sort of hungry. I know American portions are usually too large but, honestly, there wasn't enough bang for your buck quantity-wise. The atmosphere is very trendy. There is a wall of exposed brick, a huge and pretty back patio, and an open kitchen with sparks flying everywhere, which is fun. The typical customer seems to be well-dressed, well-off, 30-45 year old white people. Service was fine. The bussers were actually fantastic, but our waiter was pretty short. Didn't seem too interested in serving us, really. read more

Playa - Quite a few seats at the bar! - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Started by rehydrating with a margarita or two. Homemade Chips and Salsa (Roasted Tomato-Chipotle,Tomatillo Salsa Verde, Habanero). The habanero packed a nice lip-tingle-inducing punch. I usually (well, sometimes... OK, once) pass on the chips but the guac and dipping sauces were too tempting. Quesadilla (Squash Blossoms, Roasted Mushrooms, Oaxaca Cheese, Tomatillo Salsa Verde). Yum! While not quite enough for a full entree, the Carne Asada (Negro Modelo Marinated Skirt Steak, Nopales, Salsa Cruda) was super-tasty. Caesar Salad (Romaine, Cucumber, Epazote, Spiced Chochoyotes, Parmesan). All rolled into a fun cucumber-wrapped bale of tanginess. Happiness. And, even on a Monday evening, it was a great scene with lots of energy. read more

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I ordered the new surf and turf burrito and I was blown away how fucking good it was. Having lived in San Diego for good portion of my life, I have become quite a snob for burrito's. Yes this burrito is double the price from a traditional one from a taco truck, but soooooooooo worth it. I will spend the money on this masterpiece of delicious anyday...... read more

If You are new to this place and have been to plenty of Mexican restaurants, beware of "chips and salsa to begin" next thing you know You will be charged $11 for guac! And $5 for chips and salsa... again, $11 for guac that I didn't order, I was offered "chips and salsa" and I, the naive me thought this was a "free chips and salsa" Waiter did NOT mention That the plate will include and $11 order of guacamole! It was a very sneaky way to inflate your bill and I believed they were just being nice while we decided what to order , bad business practice .... I won't be back, I don't t like sneaky charges and that's why I only give them 1 star read more

The food, atmosphere, and bar are terrific. The service is troublesome! I've had two separate experiences...The first experience the service was excellent. So much so, that I purchased a gift card at that time to support this business. Redeemed the gift card last night with a date and the service was horrendously bad. We ordered two $14 Margaritas and they brought only one to the table. When we advised our waiter of the oversight, he brought another one, and not swiftly. This drink was missing the preserved lime. Our waiter passed our table multiple times without checking on us. We waited too long for everything. Needless to say, I did not our purchase another gift card for future use. We are pretty easy to please, given that we both have experience in the service industry. Really, truly poor service that delicious food and drink doesn't make-up for. Doubt that I'll be back anytime soon. read more

Came in on a Sunday and it was very slow and the hostess gave us grief about where to sit. Food was very good but way overpriced for Mexican food. Ordered Tamales along with fish and al pastor tacos which were all very good. Service was very mediocre as I was constantly having to catch the waiter when I needed something. I hope management realizes that Mexican food should not be priced this high and makes some changes. read more

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I like coming to Playa and I enjoy the atmosphere here. It gets really busy so make a reservation. The inside area is really really really noisy next to the bar so minus one star. Patio is much nicer to sit and enjoy conversation with friends. You are sitting right next to people if your a party of two and I shared my chips and salsa with the table next to us - they charge for them. The chips and salsa are excellent however and I've had the steak twice and enjoyed it once and found it to be over salted the other time - minus another star. I'll keep coming and work my way through the menu :) read more

We've had some great meals at Playa but our most recent visit in August was very poor. We were seated in the very back bar area and completely forgotten about multiple times. For $14 tacos and $16 margaritas, I expect a lot more. Very disappointed. I also contacted Playa to let them know about our experience but never heard back. Poor customer service. read more

Food is over hyped and over priced. Effervescent vibe. Love the interior. Great meet up with friends for drinks. Bar feels like a pick up scene. Prefer the back space. Because the food is just ok, it's not my first choice for what it is. I still enjoy hanging here. read more

Love this new destination spot! Great selection of tequila, highly recommended the "Kill Bill"-well crafted. If you are mole lover, try "Enchiladas de mole Rojo" beef cheeks with devine rich sauce-Delish! We ordered all their tacos (beef, chicken & seafood) each tacos with different approach -variety tortillas & flavorful ingredient. Including texture, we all enjoyed. They also have kids friendly cozy patio. Yes! Thumbs up for Playa. Highly recommended for any occasion! read more

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Excellent spot for drinks & delicious mexican inspired dishes. The pastor tacos are the perfect blend of sweetness from the pineapple & marinade (my personal favorite). Such a beautiful location as well! read more

We enjoyed our lunch at Playa. Lovely outdoor seating with heaters and fire pits (no indoor seating due to Covid). The burritos were generous sizes and tasty, but our favorite part of the meal was the queso fundido with chips. A bit pricey for Mexican food but to be expected given the location and ambiance! read more

The best Mexican food in Marin, hands down! Amazing atmosphere and drinks, too. Try the happy hour-- $2 tacos!!

We came here for some after work drinks and appetizers. The atmosphere is pretty cool and they have a really nice patio. It was pretty slow when we arrived and we were seated right away. Throughout our time, our waitress was inattentive, forgot items that we ordered, and responded to our questions with rudeness. The drinks were expensive but delicious. The guacamole and salsa were also yummy. However, the queso was super greasy and watery. It did not have a lot of substance and was unlike any queso I've ever seen. When we told our sever we were disappointed by it she said, "I've never eaten it, but everyone else always says it's delish" in a pretty condescending tone. Reluctantly, she did take it back to the kitchen and remove it from our check. We had three rounds of drinks and spent over $200. As we were still sipping our third round, our waitress came up to us and told us that people were waiting for the table and we needed to leave. Then, another server came up and waited for us to leave the table. We got a lot of attitude. After the money we spent, it felt like we were being treated pretty badly as patrons of the restaurant. If you're looking for a chill place to grab a few drinks, I would advise looking elsewhere. read more

Blah-tasting, meager portions of ridiculously expensive unspectacular food; poor, inattentive service; faux trendiness and a horrible experience overall. It's hard for me to fathom all these 5-star reviews from others, because this place will never exceed 2 or 3 stars on their best day. I have nothing good to say about their food, but I will agree the open concept dining room and patio are appealing, although the seating is tight and uncomfortable. The reverberant cacaphony of the dining room is somewhat intolerable when they are crowded...some absorptive material is really needed in there. Chips and salsa aren't free ($5!), and adding guacamole adds another $11 (!). My very small chopped salad (no meat) was $15. The cheapest margarita is $10--and that took 20 minutes to arrive after ordering. My party of four discerning adults left (after plunking down about $150+) hungry and disgusted...never again. Somehow the owners managed to have my initial review on Yelp REMOVED, even though it was accurate and did not contain any swear words or other offensive material. As has been reported recently in the news, people placing reviews should be aware that Yelp has become an illegitimate source for valid reviews, if restaurant owners can easily have them removed. read more

Great food. I had carnitas tacos, which were very tasty. Great cocktails. Excellent guacamole!! The outside patio is lovely and has a great vibe. Wait staff is exceptional. Highly recommended! read more

The ambiance is really nice with a fresh cool vibe. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with the menu. The food was tasty-I had the tacos and enjoyed them quite a bit. The chips and salsa (3 flavors) were yummy. My complaint is the food is a bit expensive for what you get. I was surprised they charged for chips. That's one reason I go to get Mexican style food. But based on location I guess they need to charge a lot to pay the rent. read more

I've been to playa more times than I can count. Consistently, EXCELLENT. Splurge on the guacamole and don't miss out on the carnitas. The carnitas are something out of this world. You can't find another place that does it like playa. I'm gluten free and I've never felt limited by their menu. Fantastic outdoor dining area that is distanced and well thought out. Staff is excellent and always is extra sweet to our dog when we sit outside. If your going for takeout, it's still worth it! read more

Yo....fam... That arugula salad?........fiya The way you bite into dat cauliflower?...oh damn Lemme tell you bout each of the salsas....flawless Have you had a cocktail yet?....no questions! Z P.s. the chips are dank too read more

First time for me and I will surely go back. The bar tender was friendly, my cocktail was prepared perfectly and the guacamole was fantastic! read more

Should have checked the reviews first. Not a foodie spot ... very basic food with a nice ambience. Nice outdoor patio and friendly service but can't imagine coming back. The Cava tasted awful and the guacamole looked and tasted pre made from Safeway. read more

Playa - Guacamole tasted like made off site .. - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Flavorful well-crafted food, terrific margaritas and cheladas, personable service, and upbeat ambiance. The guacamole had plenty of cilantro, and was served with flavorful fresh tortilla chips. The steak in my carne asada taco was first-rate beef. And don't overlook the lowly chicken dish on the menu. The description is not exciting, but it was fresh high-quality chicken, moist, tender and redolent of chilis and herbs.  Playa is not dumbed down Americanized Mexican fare, and nothing here is "Tex-Mex". Rather, they offer a modern innovative interpretation of Mexican food prepared using classic flavors and ingredients. read more

Great margaritas and ambiance! Love our neighborhood restaurants!! Please support this amazing place in Mill Valley

Fun atmosphere and although not the fastest service, very friendly staff! The tuna tartar app is to die for, along with their home made chips and guacamole. They also modified a margarita for me to make it not too strong, and it was fabulous! I decided to have the chicken flautas for my main and holy moly! So tasty. Will definitely be returning. read more

Playa - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

I am definitely biased towards Playa anyway but I have to make a ginormous shout out for the SURF And TURF burrito!!!!! I actually am not a huge Mexican food lover and really not a burrito lover but this burrito is honestly one of the best things I have ever eaten‼the flavors, textures.... it really is perfection in my opinion. read more

Play on playAAA!!! O M F G do I love it here. The ambiance check amazing staff check milfs AND dilfs EVERYWHERE check check baby! AND HOLY COWABUNGA the chips and guac are the best I've ever had. The freakin chips are handmade then deep fried and taste like HOTT, salty Fritos! I do not lie! I DO NOT! FRITOS PEOPLE! Get yo ass over to playa and once again PLAY ON PLAYAAAAAAA!!!!! Xoxoxo Billy T read more

We came in for drinks and, because the waitstaff were not too friendly or welcoming, did not stay for a meal. There is a large back patio that seems like it would be a lovely place to sit on a sunny afternoon. Maybe we'll try that next time. read more

Stopped here for a pre hike brunch. Restaurant is bright and open, wonderful ambiance. Tables are a bit close together which makes conversation a bit challenging. Service was ok. We definitely felt pressured by our server pushing us to order. We asked for chips and salsa and he also brought us guacamole. Food was good overall. My main gripe is with the service. I ordered bottomless mimosas and had to ask for a refill a few times. read more

QUALITY INGREDIENTS! Best tacos on the planet!!!! I love the vibe of this restaurant. Fabulous cocktails and service. Definitely my favorite place to eat in Mill Valley. read more

My wife and I had dinner here last Friday. The service was great and the food came out amazingly fast. I think we were there for less than an hour. Plus we were seated immediately (we had a reservation but arrived 20 mins early). On top of that the food and drinks were excellent. I had a chorizo empanada and a margarita; both were awesome. This is definitely a more modern Mexican restaurant, but for some reason it really reminded me of one of the great upscale places we went to in Zihuatanejo a few years ago. Obviously it was a lot busier, but in terms of the food and drinks, I can't say I've had anything even remotely like this in the United States. Would highly recommend it. read more

You cant go wrong with this place. Always a great time, good food and even better drinks

The atmosphere, service, and food are all really good. We've been here 3 times and Playa has consistently provided quality dishes and great service. If your in the mood for Mexican food you need to give Playa a try. read more

Friendly and helpful. I had to wait a little too long after ordering the food, so won't bring young kids if they are too busy. But the foot is great and love the salsa/chips combo. Yelp won't let me post 4.5 stars... coz I would. Besides the wait... this place is worth it! read more

A fave spot in our neighborhood. Great margaritas, delicious homemade salsa and fresh tortilla chips and a menu that changes every couple months keeps it interesting! read more

One star because our food was pretty decent, although definitely questioning the quality of ingredients. Our waitress was exceptionally rude, I had to get up and get our own silverware.. It took 30+ minutes to order drinks. She refused accommodate a food allergy. This place is actually a joke. read more

Fantastic first Covid-19 dining experience. Can't wait for going back. Margaritas and tortilla soup great. Wonderful people and place.

My go-to place for classy-but-not-quite-fine dining (by which I mean well executed but not pretentious) in downtown Mill Valley. The cocktails are really delicious, and I'd come in here solely to have a drink even if I didn't have time for/want a meal. That being said, you're going to want to eat here too once you see stuff coming out. The food is tasty and well seasoned, a rarity when it comes to Mexican food in southern Marin (see some of my other reviews). It's pricey, but that's the norm in this part of town. I'd recommend reservations for anything other than solo eating at the bar. read more

I came here for an after work drink and guacamole. The service, atmosphere, food, and drinks were all great. I recommend the Oaxaca margarita, it was so delish! read more

Playa - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California